The Oklahoma City Thunder have some work to do after coming up short in their quest to repeat as champions this past season. With a salary cap crunch on the horizon, the Thunder’s first order of business has involved finding ways to shed some salary, which has led to key members of their rotation being thrown on the trade block.
Earlier this week, Oklahoma City reportedly traded Aaron Wiggins to the Atlanta Hawks, but it turns out that’s not the only move the team planned on making. That’s because, on Friday morning, OKC swung a deal with the Detroit Pistons that will send veteran sharpshooter Isaiah Joe to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Thunder Trade Isaiah Joe to the Pistons
While the Thunder have done a great job of finding star players to lead their team in recent years, they have also managed to unearth diamonds in the rough that have become key parts of their rotation. Joe is a perfect example of that, as he went from being the No. 49 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to helping OKC win the 2025 NBA Finals.
Joe’s value comes almost strictly from his ability to knock down threes at a high clip. The 2025-26 campaign was the best of his career, as he averaged a career-high 11.1 points per game. That was thanks in large part to the fact that he shot 42.3% from behind the arc, which was also his best mark through the first six seasons of his career.
As the playoffs went on, Joe’s role in head coach Mark Daigneault’s rotation largely disappeared, indicating that he could very well be on the move this offseason. Sure enough, with the Pistons looking to add some scoring help for Cade Cunningham, they managed to swing a deal with the Thunder for Joe, as they sent a pair of second-round picks to the Western Conference powerhouse.
“Just in: The Oklahoma City Thunder are trading sharpshooter Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons for two future second-round picks, sources tell ESPN,” Shams Charania of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Thunder’s Offseason Plan is Beginning to Come Into Focus
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 23: Isaiah Joe #11 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket during the second quarter of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on December 23, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Joe certainly had his moments while he was with the Thunder, but the playoffs showed that he isn’t exactly necessary when it comes to the team’s hopes of winning a title. With a guy like Ajay Mitchell stepping up and taking some of his minutes, dealing Joe is a move Oklahoma City can absorb, as it has cleared up cap space and picked up a pair of late draft picks in the process.
With Wiggins gone as well, though, the front office is likely going to have to address the backcourt this offseason and find a guy who can allow guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to get some rest on the bench. The offseason is still very young, so OKC is going to have ample opportunity to fill in the gaps on its roster, but it’s clear a new area of need has emerged in the wake of these trades.
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